Chapter 4: Yes, These Are Really Aliy's Puppies.

Pictures from this morning....




In case you have not figured it out, when I know which puppy is in the picture, I will put a border on the edges that matches the puppies color.

Okay, now back to our story....

Twenty minutes passes and I'm dying to call my husband back to see if everything is okay. But I know that he needs time to get things squared away before I call back to ask him once again if he is absolutely positively 100% certain that these are not Kelly's puppies. (As you can see I am in serious denial).

I call a friend to keep myself from calling home. I tell her what's gong on and she is laughing hysterically. I can't see what's so funny.....

The phone tells me I have a call. I check and it's my husband. I tell my friend I'll call her back and I call home. My husband answers the phone "Bill's Puppy Delivery Service".

There is a third puppy. He delivered it himself proving that he was paying attention the last few times we've had puppies. He opened the sack, cut the umbilical cord and rubbed the puppy with a towel. Yes, he actually saw it come out of Aliy, these are her puppies.

I am no longer in denial, I am in shock.

I now have a 7 hour trip home, all the while wondering and worrying. I am convinced the puppies are puny little 8 oz guys barely clinging to life. Of course I'm wrong as I find out when I finally see them.

The first thing I do when I get home is race into the house, put Max outside and Babe (who is in season)in a kennel. I change my clothes, wash my hands, arms, face, anything that might have nasty dog show germs. I have not even looked at the puppies yet. Did I mention it's 3 AM?

I dig up the scale from the kitchn, find a bowl and wash it. All the while I am looking over at Aliy and talking to her about what a GOOD GIRL she is! She looks like a Madonna laying in the whelping box. Finally, FINALLY I can go see the puppies.

They are tiny, so so tiny. I feel so awful. I pick up the first puppy, perfect and yet so tiny. It's a boy. I put him on the scale, expecting to see it tell me he is 8 ounces. 14.6 ounces. That's not small. I recalibrate the scale. 14.6 ounces. Okay I feel a little bit better. maybe the others are close to this weight.

Next puppy, a girl. 16.5 ounces. WHAT???? That's the biggest puppy I've ever had!!

Last puppy, another boy. 17.2 ounces. He's huge! I am still in shock, I am also amazed at what Aliy has managed to do. She is the Best. Dog. Ever.

I sit up and just watch the puppies nursing for an hour then I finally fall asleep on the love seat beside the whelping box.

Next up - Chapter 5: The Rest of the Story